Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag to Feature New Multiplayer Engine Adapted for Both Current and Next-Gen Versions

After yesterday’s reveal of two more upcoming Assassin’s Creed titles (Pirates and Liberation HD), Ubisoft is only continuing to go ahead with the franchise, but it doesn’t mean that they’ll be skimping out on their next major entry in the franchise, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag.

After last year’s Assassin’s Creed III used the heavily-featured AnvilNext Engine in its single-player campaign, Ubisoft has detailed that Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag will be utilizing a brand new multiplayer engine that marks the first engine upgrade since Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood in 2010, the first installment in the series to feature multiplayer. Tim Browne, the Head Game Designer for the multiplayer portion of ACIV: Black Flag, detailed more about the new engine in an interview with Examiner:

“We’ve had the same engine since Brotherhood, and for this year we integrated a new engine that works on current gen and next-gen consoles. Then we did upscaled, specific development for next-gen, so the character models are four times higher textures and polygons than the normal ones. There are very specific next-gen features which we’re catering for as well, which you won’t have on current gen. Not just graphical improvements, but certain other things.”

How will the current-gen versions of ACIV: Black Flag measure up to the impending next-gen releases? Luckily, we don’t have too much longer to wait.

Ryan is the Features Editor at DualShockers, with over five years' experience in the world of video games culture and writing. He holds a BA in English & Cinema from Binghamton University, and lives in New York City.